Q: Knowing that you have extensive knowledge regarding various pathways to enlightenment, I would like to ask your views, if you have any, on the combining of Holotropic Breathwork with perhaps Vedanta.

I have done some Breathwork in the past, and have had some energetic and some emotional experiences, for which I had no knowledge base to anchor my experiences to (to borrow the explanations I have heard from Vedanta).

Now that I am aware of the conceptual explanations (at a basic level) for reality (e.g. James Swartz’s videos, Rupert’s videos, Pure Light of Knowing meditations, etc.), I wonder if the ‘jarring’ of my energy / emotional bodies might trigger the internalizing of the knowledge that is perched in the mind, ready to ‘colonize’ my ….?? (Awareness, Intellect, Mind, …??) and create an awakening experience that will stick if I continue my sadanas.

A (Dennis): The bad news is that I have never heard of Holotropic Breathwork; the good news is that this does not matter as far as answering the question is concerned.

‘Enlightenment’ means Self-knowledge. And knowledge is the ONLY thing that can bring enlightenment. Actions of whatever kind will never do so, because action is not opposed to ignorance. Also, any ‘awakening experience’ is incidental to the gaining of Self-knowledge and not necessarily indicative of it. You can have the most amazing experience (as a result of drugs for example) but remain totally ignorant of your true nature.

Unless you can think of some mental ‘purification’ that may result from this ‘breathwork’, I would ignore it to be quite honest. Meditation is good because it does aid in control of the mind, improves mental discipline, increases stillness etc. All these are pre-requisites of a mind ready to assimilate the teaching so will be of use to most spiritual seekers.

Look into Shankara’s sAdhana chatuShTaya sampatti. The ask yourself about any potential ‘practice’: “Will it help bring about any of these elements?” If the answer is clearly ‘yes’, then by all means take it up. Otherwise, direct your efforts to something more fruitful!